stingy landlady

Chapter 90 Li Shi Goes Out (2)

After the family finished eating, Guizhi left Jixiang and Ruyi with her blessings and gave the two of them some advice:

"Jixiang and Ruyi! You two stay home and guard the house. Don't open the door for anyone! Even if my second aunt and grandma come knocking, don't open the door! Remember that!"

Jixiang and Ruyi nodded. Ruyi whispered:

"Miss! We'll lock the door from the inside and stay silent!"

Guizhi smiled, took a bundle from an unlocked cabinet, and said to the two of them:

"It's not like we have to stay completely silent! You two stay inside. Here are some scraps of cloth; you can make a few more purses or handkerchiefs. You can use them yourself or give them away later!"

Li brought Siya to the carriage, ready to set off for town.

The old man was surprised to see the two people in the carriage, thinking that Li was playing in the carriage with the child.

He said loudly:

"Dazhu's wife! What are you doing in the carriage? Get down now! We should be going!"

"Dad! Siya, oh, Guiling and I are going to town with you today!"

Li realized that going out wasn't like being at home, where she could just call her child by their nickname; she had to call them by their full name!

The old man looked at the family, except for Dazhu, who were all in the carriage, and asked curiously:

"Has the sun risen in the west? What are you and the kids doing in town? Who's going to watch the house? There's a ton of stuff to do at home, are you just going to ignore it all?"

Li's explanation:

"Dad! Jixiang and Ruyi are home to look after the house! Our new house is finished, we need to buy some things to put there. We need to prepare to move!"

When the old man heard that two young maids had been left at home to look after the house, he nodded, sat down in front of the carriage, and said:

"Just make your own arrangements! Don't rush into anything, just be prepared!"

Both Li and Siya were riding in a carriage for the first time and felt a little dizzy because the carriage was moving fast.

Upon arriving in town, Li's eyes lit up as she looked at the dazzling array of shops.

The group split up to do their tasks. Li and Guixiang took Siya shopping. The others went to deliver dishes to the restaurant and put away food boxes in the bushes.

After the fifth brother, Wang Yiyun, came out, Guizhi said to Wang Yiyun:

"Fifth Uncle! We'll cook and prepare meals here from now on. We can eat freshly cooked dishes, which taste even better while they're hot!"

Wang Yiyun was very happy for Guizhi's family and asked:

"Then who will stay home and watch the house? Who will come over to cook? Just you and Guihong? That won't do, will it? Guixiang will come too?"

Seeing that Wang Yiyun couldn't guess who Li was, Guizhi said:

"It's my mother! Fifth Uncle! My mother and my eldest sister are both here! My mother was worried, and besides, more people means more work!"

"What if they just leave her at home? What will happen to Siya?"

"Fifth Uncle! Fourth Sister's name is Guiling! From now on, we'll call her by her given name!"

"Hmm! Wang Guiling! Not bad! You still haven't told us what to do at home? Aren't you still harvesting wild vegetables? And the farmhands are working for your family, so they have to provide meals! Can my older brother manage all this at home by himself?"

"Fifth Uncle! I've hired two young maids to look after the house today! My Aunt Zhou and Zhou Qiong are cooking for the farmhands! My Grandpa Zhou will be harvesting wild vegetables this afternoon! We'll be home by then!"

My mother and my older sister just took Guiling to the fabric shop! We're moving to a new house, so we need to make new quilts and clothes. My mother said that since they can't possibly make them all themselves, they might as well have the tailor at the fabric shop do it all; she wants to choose the materials and styles herself!

Guizhi whispered again:

"Fifth Uncle! I'll tell you a secret, my mother said that my grandfather goes out every day, so she's making two new sets of clothes for him too!"

I'll surprise him then! Hehe!

Wang Yiyun also laughed.

"Have you decided when you're moving? Let me know when it's time, I want to come back for the wedding banquet!"

"Not yet! My dad said he'll ask someone to choose an auspicious date once the front door is installed! Fifth Uncle, there are still empty rooms! You can come back and live with us in the new house!"

But I can't let my grandparents come and stay! We've all separated our households now, and if my grandparents go, my second uncle and aunt will definitely want to go too. Then my third uncle and aunt, and my fourth uncle and aunt will all want to come too!

But where are we going to find enough places for them to live?

Fifth Uncle! You're different. You don't have your own house, and it's inconvenient for you to live in the same room as Grandpa and Grandma. Why don't you go to our new house and have your own room? It'll be so much more convenient for you to put your books and things there!

Oh! That's right! Fifth Uncle! Ask Uncle Carpenter to build you a big bookcase so you can put all your books on it and easily find which one you want to read!

Fifth Uncle! What do you say?

Wang Yiyun hadn't expected that she would have her own room.

"Guizhi! Do your elder brother and sister-in-law know? You didn't just decide this on your own, did you? How can your younger brother stay at his elder brother and sister-in-law's house when both parents are alive?"

"Fifth Uncle! Let me tell you! You can't become a bookworm by studying! Special cases require special treatment!"

Don't rigidly adhere to dogma; you must be flexible!

It's not convenient for you, a grown man, to live in a room at your grandparents' house. Your brother's house has room for you, so why don't you go there?

"Your dad and I have already picked out a room for you. We just wanted to ask your opinion on the bookshelf, otherwise we would have had the carpenter make it already!"

Wang Yiyun was very excited:

"Then go home and thank my elder brother and sister-in-law for me! I must study hard and try my best to pass the imperial examination and become a Xiucai!"

"Yes, yes! Fifth Uncle! Remember to balance work and rest! In a few days, once things are settled here and I'm no longer needed, let's go to the county town together. You should pick out some books that will help with the imperial examinations and strive to make a name for yourself!"

The old man sat at the table listening for a long time, watching the two talking animatedly, and also hearing that Wang Yiyun had a separate room. He didn't care that he and the old lady weren't allowed to stay there.

He asked:

"Guizhi, did your father really say that your fifth uncle has a room?"

Gui Hong heard this and, taking advantage of a lull, turned around and said:

"Grandpa! Fifth Uncle! Guizhi is telling the truth! We've already chosen our rooms."

My parents lived in the main house, and my sisters and I lived in the east wing. The little maids lived in the east side room.

Fifth Uncle lived in the west wing, and guests would also stay in the west wing. The servants lived in the west side rooms.

There's a gatekeeper's room at the main gate; we can let Grandpa Zhou stay there!

The rear room will be occupied by Uncle Xu Hong and a few guards!

The old man had no objections.

"Your father is so thoughtful! Grandpa and Grandma are getting old, and they worry about your fifth uncle the most! This arrangement is excellent! Grandpa is very happy!"

Fifth brother! Don't forget your roots while you're studying! When you achieve success and fame in the future, never forget your eldest brother's family!

Wang Yiyun nodded:

"Yes! Dad, I know! Guizhi told me a lot about family matters! I know everything!"

My older brother and sister-in-law have suffered a lot of injustice! I will work hard to get into a good university and treat them well! I will make sure no one dares to bully my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces again!

Li took Guixiang shopping for a long time, comparing prices at three different shops, and finally decided to go to the cloth shop that Guixiang often frequented.

I chose fine white cotton fabric for the quilt lining and coarse cotton fabric with different patterns for the quilt cover.

The mattress was made of coarse cotton cloth as the base and fine cotton cloth of different patterns as the surface.

I've ordered cotton, and I'm asking the tailor to make at least three quilts today, which I can pick up this afternoon when I go home.

Li said:

"Guixiang! If I had the time, I could make a quilt by myself in a day! This would just waste money on paying the tailor!"